What size propane tank do I need for whole-home heating?

Most whole-home propane heating setups in cold climates use a 500 or 1,000 gallon above-ground tank. A 500 gallon tank holds about 400 usable gallons (tanks fill to roughly 80% to leave room for liquid expansion) and gets a typical 2,000–2,500 sqft home through most of a New England winter between deliveries. Larger or less-insulated homes step up to 1,000 gallons.

Can I use a 100 gallon tank for home heating?

A single 100 or 120 gallon cylinder rarely covers central heat for a full home — it holds about 80–100 usable gallons, which a typical furnace burns through in a couple of weeks of cold weather. 100 gallon tanks are a fit for cooking, hot water, fireplaces, dryers, and supplemental heat — not the primary furnace.

How much propane does a tank actually hold when "full"?

Propane is stored as a liquid that expands and contracts with temperature, so propane tanks are filled to roughly 80% of their nameplate capacity. A 500 gallon tank holds about 400 usable gallons; a 1,000 gallon tank holds about 800. The remaining headspace is the safety margin for thermal expansion.

What is the difference between an above-ground and an underground propane tank?

Above-ground tanks are cheaper to install, simpler to service, and visible on the property. Underground tanks (often called "buried" tanks) cost more to install but free up the yard, are protected from temperature swings (which improves vapor pressure on the coldest days), and survive freezing and ice better. Both have the same setback rules from buildings, ignition sources, and property lines.

How often does each tank size need to be refilled?

Refill cadence depends on burn rate, not tank size — a smaller tank just means more frequent deliveries. A common rule of thumb: a 500 gallon tank lasts a typical heating customer 6–10 weeks in deep winter and most of the warm season on a single fill; a 1,000 gallon tank doubles that. Will-call customers should call for a delivery before the gauge drops below 25–30%; auto-delivery customers leave the cadence to the dealer.

Residential Propane Tank Sizes: 100, 250, 500, and 1,000 Gallons

Compare the common residential propane tank sizes — 100, 120, 250, 500, and 1,000 gallons — with the loads they cover, refill cadence, and which size fits which kind of home.

Residential propane tanks come in a handful of standard sizes that map neatly to load: cylinders for grilling and cooking, mid-size tanks for auxiliary heat or hot water, and large tanks for whole-home heating in cold climates.

The standard sizes

Tank size	Usable (≈80%)	Typical use	Refill cadence
20 lb cylinder	~4.7 gal	Grills, portable heaters	As needed
100 gal	~80 gal	Cooking, hot water, fireplace, dryer	2–4×/year
120 gal (vertical)	~96 gal	Same as 100 gal, narrower footprint	2–4×/year
250 gal	~200 gal	Hot water + range + dryer + light heat	2–4×/year
500 gal	~400 gal	Whole-home heating, mid-size house	1–2×/year
1,000 gal	~800 gal	Large home, generator, pool heat	Annual fill

Sizes above 1,000 gallons exist but are commercial/agricultural rather than residential, and dedicated propane storage above 2,000 gallons moves into a different code regime entirely.

Picking a size

The right size is about 1.6× your peak winter month's burn rate so you can ride out a cold snap or delivery delay without falling below the safe-fill minimum. Run the math the other direction: estimate your annual gallons (use the propane usage calculator), divide by 12 for a rough monthly average, and multiply the coldest month by 1.6 to find a target.

Setbacks and placement

Tank placement is governed by NFPA 58 Table 6.4.4.1, not by dealer preference:

“Containers having an aggregate water capacity of 125 to 500 gal shall be located at least 10 ft from any important building, line of adjoining property which can be built upon, and any source of ignition.”
NFPA 58, Table 6.4.4.1 (LP-Gas Code, 2024 ed.). View source

For the 125–500 gallon range — by far the most common residential bracket — that table sets a 10 ft minimum from any important building, ignition source, or property line that can be built upon. The setback is on the aggregate water capacity, not the nameplate, so two adjacent 250 gallon tanks count as one 500 gallon installation.

Larger tanks have larger setbacks; below 125 gallons the setback drops to 5 ft (and a single 100 gallon tank can sit even closer in some configurations). Local AHJs can be more restrictive than NFPA but never less.

Owning vs leasing

Owning the tank lets you shop deliveries among any local supplier; leasing locks you to the supplier who placed it. The directory's propane tank rental vs own guide covers the trade-off in detail.

Find dealers in your ZIP

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Frequently asked questions

What size propane tank do I need for whole-home heating?: Most whole-home propane heating setups in cold climates use a 500 or 1,000 gallon above-ground tank. A 500 gallon tank holds about 400 usable gallons (tanks fill to roughly 80% to leave room for liquid expansion) and gets a typical 2,000–2,500 sqft home through most of a New England winter between deliveries. Larger or less-insulated homes step up to 1,000 gallons.
Can I use a 100 gallon tank for home heating?: A single 100 or 120 gallon cylinder rarely covers central heat for a full home — it holds about 80–100 usable gallons, which a typical furnace burns through in a couple of weeks of cold weather. 100 gallon tanks are a fit for cooking, hot water, fireplaces, dryers, and supplemental heat — not the primary furnace.
How much propane does a tank actually hold when "full"?: Propane is stored as a liquid that expands and contracts with temperature, so propane tanks are filled to roughly 80% of their nameplate capacity. A 500 gallon tank holds about 400 usable gallons; a 1,000 gallon tank holds about 800. The remaining headspace is the safety margin for thermal expansion.
What is the difference between an above-ground and an underground propane tank?: Above-ground tanks are cheaper to install, simpler to service, and visible on the property. Underground tanks (often called "buried" tanks) cost more to install but free up the yard, are protected from temperature swings (which improves vapor pressure on the coldest days), and survive freezing and ice better. Both have the same setback rules from buildings, ignition sources, and property lines.
How often does each tank size need to be refilled?: Refill cadence depends on burn rate, not tank size — a smaller tank just means more frequent deliveries. A common rule of thumb: a 500 gallon tank lasts a typical heating customer 6–10 weeks in deep winter and most of the warm season on a single fill; a 1,000 gallon tank doubles that. Will-call customers should call for a delivery before the gauge drops below 25–30%; auto-delivery customers leave the cadence to the dealer.